840 THE PRINCIPLES OF PERSONAL INTEGRITY
you have experienced, and also how to profit by the mistakes and
failures of others.
The president of one of the great railway systems of the United
States said, after reading the next lesson, that "this lesson carries a
suggestion which, if heeded and understood, will enable any person
to become a master in their chosen life's work:'
For reasons that will be clear after you have read it, Profiting by
Failure is my favorite lesson of this course.
INDECISION-
AN AFTER-THE-LESSON VISIT WITH THE AUTHOR
Procrastination robs you of opportunity. It is a significant fact that
no great leader was ever known to procrastinate. You are fortunate
if ambition drives you into action, never permitting you to falter or
turn back once you have rendered a decision to go forward.
You may be shocked if you kept accurate account of the time
you waste in a single day. Second by second, as the clock ticks off
the distance, time is running a race with you. Delay means defeat,
because no one may ever make up a second of lost time. Wasted time
is one of the chief causes of failure.
Time is also, however, a master worker that heals the wounds
of failure and disappointment, and rights all wrongs and turns all
mistakes into capital. But it favors only those who kill off procras-
tination and remain in action when there are decisions to be made.
Life is a great checkerboard. The player opposite you is Time. If
you hesitate you will be wiped off the board. If you keep moving you
may win. The only real capital is time, but it is capital only when used.
The other player is Mr. Average Man; let us call him you. Move
by move, Time has wiped off Mr. Average Man's men until he is
finally cornered where Time will get him no matter which way he
moves. Indecision has driven him into that corner.